Sestao River, a team from the fourth category, starred in one of the biggest surprises of the 2026-27 Copa del Rey by beating Espanyol in the first round of the tournament. The match, played at the Municipal de Las Llanas, ended with a resounding victory for the Txuri-Urdin team that left the Catalan team in ruins and led to the immediate dismissal of coach Manolo González.
Sestao's victory not only marked a milestone for the red and white club, but also influenced the League table. With the elimination of Espanyol, Real Sociedad approached a negative record in the competition, as the Catalan team became the team that has been eliminated the most times by clubs in lower categories, with 24 dismissals in direct elimination rounds. La Real, which had maintained an impeccable record under the direction of Imanol Alguacil, is now just two wins away from overtaking Espanyol in the historic First Division standings.
The match featured the participation of three players who were born in the Real youth team, Zubieta. Andoni Ugarte, a 31-year-old central veteran, scored one of the goals with a header and remembered his time at Real in the 1995 class that played in the Youth League alongside figures like Odriozola and Bautista. Markel Peral, 21 years old, arrived directly from Zubieta after ending his relationship with Real C and not advancing to Sanse; His participation was limited, but his presence on the team reflects the continuity of the quarry. Finally, Andoni Arzak, a winger from Sanse, played for Sanse before moving to the Alavés reserve team and starred in one of the most talked-about plays of the match, accompanying his friends from the Intxaurrondo neighborhood in the stands.
Sestao River, which is in the Second RFEF, has already demonstrated its ability to compete against teams from the First Division. The victory over Espanyol, who have been eliminated on three consecutive occasions by teams from the Segunda RFEF, reinforces the club's reputation as an unexpected competitor in the Cup. With the elimination of Espanyol, Sestao now hopes to face another Primera rival in the second round, which would give them the opportunity to continue writing history and perhaps give one last surprise to Spanish football fans.